“Across Logistics” Innovation News Release: October 2018

“Across Logistics” Innovation News Release: October 2018

Welcome to the October 2018 issue of “Across Logistics” Innovation News Release, where we are presenting you the latest innovative technologies and important news in logistics that happened over the past month.

Uber Freight enters trailer leasing business with Powerloop

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This month, Uber Freight announced the launch of its new service Powerloop aimed to lower the barrier for carriers to enter the trailer-pool programs. In other words, Powerloop will enable its users to access the national trailer-pool system that will reduce driver detention time while providing shippers with additional truck capacity from smaller carriers. At launch, the service will be available within Texas, developing its network further to surrounding states and then adding more markets during 2019.

“Shippers are able to take advantage of the ecosystem of readily available Uber Freight carriers, made even more agile by the Powerloop trailer pool. This helps them streamline facility operations by loading and unloading trailers when most convenient. It’s a win-win and a big step forward for the industry,” said Max Pike, Uber Freight’s program manager for special projects, including Powerloop.

Bell and Yamato Collaborate to Transform On-Demand Delivery

Picture Credit: Bell/Yamato

Bell Helicopter and Yamato announced their strategic collaboration to transform the future of on-demand delivery services. According to the official press release, the project goal is to position the collaborative venture as the global leader in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) logistics. In order to create an exceptional on-demand logistics customer experience, the companies plan to work on integration between innovative autonomous unmanned vehicle systems and package handling systems. To demonstrate the viability of the project, Bell will use its expertise in aerial vehicles to design and develop the Autonomous Pod Transport (APT) while Yamato will work on developing a customized detached pod. According to the companies, they expect to introduce their initial product into service by mid-2020s.

“In the past few years, our Bell team has renewed focus on novel innovative solutions to better serve our operators globally, and we are excited to use our expertise to redefine the practice of civilian logistics,” said Scott Drennan, Bell’s vice president of Innovation. “Through this joint effort, we are eager to set a new precedent for on-demand delivery and future large-scale logistics.”

This month, a European logistics service provider Jan de Rijk and the leading supplier of AI predictive optimization solutions for the cargo transport industry Transmetrics announced their partnership. It focuses on optimizing Jan de Rijk’s asset strategy by implementing Transmetrics’ next-generation predictive asset optimization software – AssetMetrics.

AssetMetrics will enable Jan de Rijk to make proactive and data-driven decisions by anticipating upcoming demand, weeks in advance, and creating transparency in their daily operations. The rollout of AssetMetrics is planned to happen by the end of this year.

“By implementing Transmetrics’ product we hope to get a very detailed prediction of the demand for our transport fleet daily 1-2 weeks ahead for 10 major hot-spots in the network. We also hope to be able to know in advance how much extra capacity we need to book through the use of third-party fleets in times of need, in order to meet the peak demand,” added Jan de Rijk Sales and Business Development Executive, Juma Al Maskari.

dexFreight, a decentralized logistics platform, revealed that it has completed the first-ever blockchain-based truckload shipment using smart contracts. The blockchain platform and machine learning technologies allowed the shipper and carrier to directly connect, negotiate rates, and schedule pickup and delivery. For this first truckload shipment, dexFreight partnered with Netuno USA, one of the fastest growing seafood wholesalers, Arel Trucking Inc., an asset-based motor carrier with over 180 trucks, and RSK, the first smart contract platform secured by Bitcoin.

“dexFreight solves the issue of false documentation by making our transactions with shippers completely transparent, and so we can get paid for the service we provided,” said Robert J. Julia, CFO, Arel Trucking. “This technology is the way of the future for the whole trucking industry.”

DHL, Wingcopter, and GIZ pilot drone delivery in Tanzania

The pilot project “Deliver Future” by the German drone manufacturer Wingcopter, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and DHL proves that the delivery of medicines to remote areas via drones is already a reality. Over a six-month period, they successfully tested the delivery of health commodities using a drone flying to Ukerewe Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania. During the trials, the autonomous DHL Parcelcopter 4.0 completed the 60 km flight from the mainland to the island in 40 minutes on average. A total of 2,200 km were flown and roughly 2,000 flight minutes recorded during the pilot project. The potential application of this solution can also go beyond the transportation of pharmaceuticals and medicals supplies and can be used to reach areas with low infrastructural developments.

“A key feature is that the DHL Parcelcopter 4.0 barely needs any infrastructure as it takes off and lands vertically. After delivering its cargo, it can easily be loaded with blood and laboratory samples to take back to the mainland. In future, the Parcelcopter could therefore not only improve logistics in the public health sector: it has the potential to help prevent crises worldwide, for example allowing an early response to slow the spread of viral diseases like Ebola,” the official press release states.

DB Schenker and what3words Partner to Optimize Delivery Precision

DB Schenker has announced that it has integrated its eSchenker portal with what3words, a startup redefining the way street addressing works. Through the association with what3words, DB Schenker’s customers can now optimize their supply chains by specifying accurate pick-up and drop-off points using three-word addresses to identify the precise 3×3 meters locations. According to a recent study conducted by what3words in the German market, 73% of the deliveries made in the country were completed while drivers were struggling to locate the exact address. In more than 25% of these cases, the last-mile driver had to seek additional information to find the drop-off point accurately.

“Our cooperation with what3words is another new service of DB Schenker’s connect strategy towards a fully digital ecosystem,” said Markus Sontheimer, CIO of DB Schenker. “Especially with regard to trade shows or exhibitions, it provides our drivers with exact delivery points and thus allows us to serve our customers even faster and better.”

Starbucks Opens a Sustainable Store Built From Shipping Containers

Picture Credit: Starbucks Taiwan

Shipping containers are going through very harsh conditions during transportation and storage. With an average lifetime of 10-12 years, it is important to think about how we can utilize the use of containers when they are no longer durable to serve their regular purpose. One of the interesting ways to prolong the life of a container is to use it in as a multipurpose building material. The use cases may vary, but the most impressive ones are worth mentioning.

For example, as a part of its commitment to sustainable building, Starbucks opened a new location in Taiwan that is constructed entirely from 29 recycled shipping containers, stacked in a grid-like formation. However, the approach to sustainability should be supported from both sides – for the shipping companies, it is a great way of selling the container, which can no longer operate and for the buyers such as Starbucks it helps to develop its image through sustainability. In other words – an environmentally conscious win-win.